The 100-Year Life – A Wake Up Call for All
The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton & Andrew Scott was one of the pivotal books that I read as I began to delve into my Doctoral research regarding midlife. Gratton and Scott recount research showing that the average life expectancy “has expanded at a steady rate of more than two years every decade” over the last 200 years.[1] Their book is a wake-up call to society at large that the lengthening of our life span needs strategic investment, in how we live, work, dream, transition, make money, re-create, and transform our lives through invested relationships.
The Linear Life is Dead
A longer life expectancy brings many challenges along with exciting possibilities to explore. Gratton & Scott surmise that “‘age’ is not ‘stage’ any longer, and these new stages will be increasingly age-agnostic.”[2] This is exactly why Bruce Feiler’s quote “the linear life is dead” in his book “Life is in the Transitions” has resonated with so many.[3] What Feiler, along with Gratton and Scott have concluded is that we no longer have a set way to live life. There will be great empowerment to work intergenerationally and well past the stage we once thought was only conducive for retirement. This is incredibly freeing for those of us who are aging into our 50’s and 60’s – the infamous Baby Boomers.
60 is the New 40
This is freeing because we are living differently now then even 30 years ago. When we hear “60 is the new 40,” it is not simply wishful thinking. We are aging differently. Dr. Michael Roizen, a leading expert on aging and longevity wrote a fascinating book in 2022 called “The Great Age Reboot.”[4] Dr. Roizen believes that with the coming genetic breakthroughs in the next 10 years, people will have the opportunity to live well into their 100’s, 110’s and 120’s.[5] One of the fascinating genetic alterations (among others) will be that of cognitive function. He believes we are on the cusp of adding 20-30 years cognitively (I’ve listed a fascinating interview to describe these breakthroughs below.)[6] These advancements promise not to add years to the end of life, but rather, to the middle of life.
Generational Complexity
If we are living longer, and major breakthroughs increase midlife by 20-30 years, what does this mean for us? Gratton & Scott give us our start by having the reader imagine all the areas it will affect.[7] One area that I’d like to highlight is that of generational complexity.”[8] It is becoming a very evident reality that the workforce will soon be encompassing five-generations.”[9]
This had me revisit Chapter 18 in Annabel Beerel’s book “Rethinking Leadership” on leading a multigenerational workforce.[10] Beerel notes the difficulties of accomplishing this feat and comes to the conclusion held by Lindsey Pollack that “whatever the generation, everyone wants meaning, purpose, good leaders, and career possibilities.”[11] Pollack believes that if we hold to this and keep it central, it is possible to work collaboratively and effectively together. The World Economic Forum states “Older workers can bring institutional knowledge and perspective, social maturity and stability, and can pass on critical knowledge or business relationships to younger workers. Younger workers can bring a more collaborative mindset and can help older workers to become more digitally literate.”[12] (World Ec. Forum)
Further Fuel for My NPO
The whole idea of intergenerational collaboration takes great effort and intentionality. As I continue to develop my NPO and offer a relational coaching framework for midlife ministers, I recently added a component processing what might need to be transformed in our lives to give greater ability to invest in the younger generations. Having deeper reflection regarding how we view differences, engage greater listening skills and practice the art of curiosity, are areas that may bring a greater sense of connection and purpose.
Conclusion
There is so much more to unpack as we contemplate the elongating lifespan and what that means for life and work. However, seeing it as a gift and not a curse gives much hope to use all our days for God’s glory. In closing, I ask these questions:
- By knowing you could easily live to 100, what are one or two areas that could use greater attention for you to navigate?
- In knowing that your life will affect more than one or two generations in your lifetime, what can you do to effectively build bridges in how you view and interact with other generations?
References
[1] Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott, The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity, Fourth Ed (London, UK: Bloomsbury Business, n..d.). 2.
[2] Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott. 12
[3] Bruce Feiler, Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age (New York: Penguin Press, 2020).
[4] Dr. Michael F. Roizen, The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow (National Geographic, 2022).
[5] Dr. Michael Roizen, Can We Really Turn Back Time?, 2024, https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CENFwz6FzbHrAqSoJoj5E.
[6] Dr. Michael Roizen, Can We Really Turn Back Time?, 2024, https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CENFwz6FzbHrAqSoJoj5E.
[7] Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott, The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity.
[8] Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott. 15-18.
[9] “An Ageing Workforce Isn’t a Burden. It’s an Opportunity,” World Economic Forum, January 3, 2019, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/an-aging-workforce-isnt-a-burden-its-an-opportunity/.
[10] Annabel Beerel, Rethinking Leadership: A Critique of Contemporary Theories, 1st ed. (Milton: Taylor & Francis Group, 2021), https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003044444. 359-369.
[11] Beerel. 362-363.
[12] “An Ageing Workforce Isn’t a Burden. It’s an Opportunity.”
About the Author
Esther Edwards
Esther has served in ministry leadership for over 35 years. She is an ordained minister, an ICF and CCLC certified coach, and licensed coach trainer. Her and her husband have launched their own coaching practice, Enjoy the Journey Leadership Coaching and seek to train ministry leaders in the powerful skill of coaching. Esther loves hiking, reading, and experiencing new coffee shops with friends and family. She enjoys the journey with her husband, Keith, their four daughters, sons-in-law, and their five beautiful grandchildren.12 responses to “The 100-Year Life – A Wake Up Call for All”
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Hi Esther,
Well if I am going to live to 100, I should start saving for a face lift and hair plants!
Or not.
There are some negative critiques about this book, “Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott’s assumed readership is one in which “as people age their income grows, as wages keep pace with inflation. Over time there are productivity gains and people get promoted and achieve greater responsibility.” This book is clearly not aimed at the typical American, for whom wages have fallen so sharply in recent decades, or for readers anywhere where the vast majority of people are never promoted to achieve great responsibility.” Says Danny Dorling of the Times Higher Education, May 26,2016. (https://www.timeshighereducation.com/books/review-the-100-year-life-lynda-gratton-andrew-scott-bloomsbury
Still I like the jumpstart on thinking about aging with the checklists that the authors provide. I also compare how my personal checklists match up.
So far so good.
From my post epilogue (no need to respond to it).
We were warned about leaving food out and leaving food out with small children. The quiet Slovak hills were loaded with bears who wandered into the campsite looking for snacks (little kids included). Apparently, old men with coffee cups (although I discovered bears love the smell of coffee) are less tasty. The quiet of the Kalacno forest surrounding our soccer field (substitute for a baseball field) was quiet, calming and I felt at peace with the world. Soon 200 children and staff would emerge in organized laughter and chaos, but this moment was mine.
Rare Leadership: 4 Uncommon Habits for Increasing Trust, Joy, and Engagement in the People You Lead, by Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder | Mar 18, 2016, speaks to my return to Eastern Europe this summer. Chaotic baseball and soccer drills, games, and bad camp food were knocking on my mental and spiritual door. The following I week I would be in Ukraine, then Hungary (the place of 26 years of missions’ work).
I was happy.
I also rediscovered my joy and perhaps my next stage of life’s GOD purpose – GoodSports Director for Ukraine and straight out of left field, GoodSports Kenya.
Apparently, at 65, God is not finished with me yet.
Let the games begin!
P.S. I so want to ready your NPO (ahhh old man transitions).
Russell,
It would be interesting to see what a face lift could do for us! Perhaps a new face lift serum will soon be invented.
Your attention to the book’s critiques are warranted. Gratton & Scott do mention that intentional planning is needed but if you don’t make much, that is tough to do no matter how much you plan.
No doubt, we do need changes on so many levels to be able to keep up with the lengthening lifespan.
I thought about your doctoral project when I read this book. I would be curious to hear what you think the authors got right about their observations and conclusions and where you think they might have missed it (Did they exclude a demographic with there focus?). Here’s my answer to your questions:
1) If my children and my wife and I do indeed live longer lives, what could we do to be better prepared to make multiple transitions along the various callings in an extended work-life? How should we approach work and rest, with sabbaticals situated between careers? 2. I would love to explore a scorecard / grid that helps me to know the questions I could be asking the one or two generations you are referring to, along with practical tools/resources that help connect scripture to culture with ways to talk about the integration of faith with these other generations…as we go along.
In knowing that your life will affect more than one or two generations in your lifetime, what can you do to effectively build bridges in how you view and interact with other generations?
Travis,
The thought of a scorecard/grid of questions to ask would be very helpful. It has my mind thinking… It would need to be developed through researching the values and thought processes of the other generations.
On another note, did I feel that Scott and Gratton got it right? I was reading one critique that says their approach is extremely utopian. Granted, they are London Business School Academics. However, I don’t think their point was to tackle some of the wicked problems but simply initiate a shock view of where we are headed and that change is needed on many levels. No doubt the governments worldwide will need to revise how they address and stategize regarding the economic divides. Perhaps they would be well served to write a sequel and address other demographics as well.
Esther,
I was really looking forward to reading your post because I know this book intersects significantly with your NPO research. You make a great connection to Beerel’s chapter on a multigenerational workforce. I’m curious how you’ve seen this play out in your church leadership over the years, both among the congregants and the staff?
Kim,
You ask how I’ve seen this play out in my church leadership over the years, both among the congregants and the staff. I feel incredibly grateful that we have been able to have many multi-generational staff throughout the years. When we took our first lead pastorate, we were in our early 30’s and very green in so many ways. However, the church we pastored was multi-generational, with a very staunch, powerful older demographic. There were several ways we bridged the gap. 1. We purposefully included them in the conversations of how things would change and why 2. We hired an older pastor to serve in care and connection (one that had been a favorite pastor of theirs 20 years before). 3. We tried not to segregate by age. 4. We found ways to give purpose and leadership to those in all age groups.
Sadly, though, this is not the norm for the church or society. One writer states “we’re arguably the most age-segregated nation in history. Young people are clustered in schools and other settings exclusively with other young people; middle-age people predominate in workplaces; and older adults are routinely shunted to elder-only settings such as senior centers, retirement communities, and nursing homes. The generations often cease to meet at all, especially outside of families. Professor Andrew Scott of London Business School has a name for it: “age apartheid” (Aviva Investors, 2018).” (https://generations.asaging.org/benefits-increasingly-multigenerational-society)
This is such a loss for all but there seems to be a growing desire for change by the younger generations. In our own church context we are seeing the millenials and Gen Z’s often comment that this is a value for them and it is why they are drawn to our church.
Psalm 145:4-7: “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts…”
Like others, I also immediately thought of you as I was doing this week’s reading! What a great resource for you as you plan out your work. Regarding your questions:
1) I definitely need to invest more in my physical health- I am convinced it is one of the best investments I can make toward my retirement. And, on an emotional side, I have been thinking about really getting clear on the contribution I am equipped to make to my community. I think this will serve as an anchor as I navigate my 3rd, 4th and 5th (?) acts. This last part also speaks to your second question, so it was a 2 for 1!
Thanks for the 2 for 1! Ah, yes! Health. I echo that desire for myself as well.
Also, I do believe you are being equipped on many levels for a very unique and powerful contribution as you move into next seasons. This goes beyond the doctorate. It involves the convergence of so many parts of your life. I look forward to seeing all the ways God will use you in the future.
Hi Esther,
Reading this book made me think of you and your project too! I wasn’t surprised that you had read it and used it for your research. I’m looking forward to reading your work! I love your questions. I would like to answer them here but also like to hear your responses.
1. Exercise and pursuing some creative activities
2. Think multi-generationally. Invite and create spaces in which people of all generations can gather and connect, both in my home, community, and church.
Jenny,
Thanks for your response to my questions. I relate to both of your answers myself! Love the thought of creating spaces for hospitality and connection for all ages.
Jenny – you are a gift. Thank you for your gift of presence. You ARE that safe space, just in how you interact and accept people for who they are (although the atmosphere does help 🙂
Esther. I can’t wait to see your project! I can see how this book would be so important to your work, and mine too!
1. I am a bit to “free” with my money and wanting instant gratification. My husband is fantastic at saving, but it’s always for a rainy day and not for joy and pleasure. I need better financial discipline.
2.I hope modeling for my children what it means to be in relationship with older generations. Staying healthy to meet younger generations where they are, and being very clear of my wishes and take care to plan financially for caring for me in my elder years, as well as my wishes if my mind goes, and pre pay for my funeral!
Jana – #1 made me smile. Love the balance that marriage brings if we learn to see the value add of the differences. Your husband may help you save, but you help him swing from the chandeliers!
So looking forward to seeing how your work unfolds as well!